There are highs and lows in my enthusiasm and the challenge of drawing on every day in 2015 isn't about immediate gratification, but yes I enjoy drawing.

Some days, when I am feeling the pressure of work, I might set out to do a quick sketch just to get a tick in the box for drawing that day, but usually these become enjoyable and engrossing. The concentration of drawing is just what I need to get over the stresses of the day.

The paradox is I enjoy the act of drawing, but I don’t find it relaxing. There is the stress of wanting to do something well and complete concentration is mentally tiring. The relaxation comes afterwards. The absolute focus on a subject clears the mind of all distractions.

Recently I have been experimenting with the three pass sketching approach Marc Taro Holmes (Citizen Sketcher) describes in The Urban Sketcher. The first pass is scribbled in pencil to work out the basic structure, the second pass is a calligraphic line drawing in ink (I am using biro) and the third pass is the addition of solid black shadows/shapes (I am using a brush pen).

Marc acknowledges the three pass sketches may have too much contrast to suit everyone’s taste, but he stresses their importance as a training exercise for learning how to see and depict the grouped darker shapes in a picture.

One thing that continues to amaze me is how little information our brains need to interpret a drawing as a solid object. Graduated shading may look nice, but overlapping shapes and stark contrast seems to be enough to convey three dimensionality.